INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Southern Sudan

Jenny Tonge: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what plans she has to visit southern Sudan; and if she will make a statement.

Clare Short: I continue to keep under review the possibility of a visit to north and south Sudan. Our priority for Sudan is to encourage a just peace. We continue to provide relief to alleviate the suffering caused by the war.

Digital Divide

Nigel Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what polices she is pursuing to tackle the problem of the digital divide in developing countries; and if she will make a statement.

Clare Short: Our recent White Paper outlines the threat the digital divide provides to the prospects of poor countries. Our policy is to maximise the benefits to the poor by integrating the use of information and communication technologies (ICT) into our existing development activities aimed at achieving the international development targets. For example effective use of ICT can help improve governance and accountability, improve access to services such as education and health, and boost economic growth.

Belize

Matthew Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, pursuant to her answer of 2 July 2001, Official Report, column 41W, on Belize, if KPMG passed to her Department copies of the three letters from Carlisle Holdings during its study to review the regulation of offshore financial services in Belize and the effect of tax exemptions on pro-poor programmes.

Clare Short: Yes.

Belize

Matthew Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, pursuant to her answer of 2 July 2001, Official Report, column 42W, on Belize, on what date her Department was informed that KPMG were the external auditors of the Belize bank.

Clare Short: On 25 August 2000.

Belize

Matthew Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development on what dates KPMG received letters from the Public Investment Company, Sonisa, during its study to review the regulation of offshore financial services in Belize and the effect of tax exemptions on pro-poor programmes; if she will place copies of these letters in the Library; and if she will make a statement.

Clare Short: My Department is not aware of any such correspondence.

Belize

Matthew Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment has been made of the amount of tax not paid since 1990 by the two public investment companies with regard to the study commissioned by her Department to review the regulation of offshore financial services in Belize and the effect of tax exemptions on pro-poor programmes; if she will place a copy of these calculations in the Library; and if she will make a statement.

Clare Short: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 11 July 2001, Official Report, column 531W, concerning the confidentiality of the KPMG report.

Belize

Matthew Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if her Department asked (a) KPMG and (b) the Belize Government to calculate the amount of tax not paid since 1990 by the two public investment companies during its study commissioned by her Department to review the regulation of offshore financial services in Belize and the effect of tax exemptions on pro-poor programmes; and if she will make a statement.

Clare Short: KPMG was asked to estimate the scale of the possible loss of tax revenue as a result of PICs (Public Investment Companies). I refer the hon. Member to my answer to question uin3375.

Belize

Matthew Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much debt owed by Belize has been written off by the British Government under the Commonwealth Debt Initiative in each year since 1997; how much debt owed by Belize is planned to be written off by the Government over the next decade; and if she will make a statement.

Clare Short: £1.146 million in debt relief was granted to Belize in 1998 covering repayments due on past UK aid loans from April to October 1998. Bilateral aid amounting to £1.771 million for poverty-focused projects was agreed in 1999—equivalent to the repayments due between December 1998 and March 2000. This was provided so that the newly elected Government did not lose out on the value of the debt relief but was given time to decide whether it wished to qualify for the benefits of the Commonwealth Debt Initiative. The remaining outstanding debt on past UK aid loans to Belize amounts to £10.470 million, covering a repayment period which lasts until 2008.

Belize

Matthew Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development on what dates KPMG visited Belize while conducting the study commissioned by her Department to review the regulation of offshore financial services in Belize and the effect of tax exemptions on pro-poor programmes.

Clare Short: 18 July to 1 August 2000.

TRANSPORT, LOCAL GOVERNMENT AND THE REGIONS

Millennium Dome

Peter Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what the basis was for commencing a hard strip of the Dome.

Sally Keeble: holding answer 9 July 2001
	The hard strip was suspended while market testing of future Dome use options was begun. Independent professional advice has since been received that completing the hard strip offers maximum flexibility for any future use and does not prejudice the chances of the Dome being used for any particular use. Carrying out the hard strip enhances the prospects of finding a long term sustainable use, and therefore the work is proceeding.

Millennium Dome

John Wilkinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions how much public money has been spent from 1 January to 30 June on the care and maintenance of the Millennium Dome; and what his estimate is of the total figure for 2001.

Sally Keeble: Between 1 January and 30 June 2001 expenditure by the New Millennium Experience Company in relation to care and maintenance of the Millennium Dome was:
	January—£600,000
	February—£646,000
	March—627,000
	April—£609,000
	May—£632,000
	June—£224,000.
	The company received a rates rebate in June of £838,000 for the same six-month period, thereby reducing the care and maintenance cost by that amount. The figures listed do not include expenditure incurred on decommissioning, or any costs relevant to the company's on-going wind-down and liquidation activities.

London Transport

Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions if he will publish the actual figures for the amounts the private sector is investing in London Transport under existing contracts.

David Jamieson: The following table shows estimates of the value of investment in London Transport through the existing London Underground Private Finance Initiative contracts.
	
		£ 
		
			 Contract name/Investment coverage Investment value(1) 
		
		
			 British Transport Police  
			 New HQ and BTP police station at Tottenham Court Road and a new BTP station at West Ham 10 
			 Connect  
			 New stations and trains radio systems and communications infrastructure 350 
			 Northern Line Trains  
			 Provision of new Northern Line train fleet 400 
			 Power  
			 Network of substations and power distribution cables 100 
			 Prestige  
			 Ticketing service infrastructure 150 
			  
			 Total investment value (£ billion) 1.01 
		
	
	(1) The investment value is not the actual amount the private sector is investing in London Transport. Instead it is London Transport's estimate of what investment in PFI projects would have cost had they done the investment themselves.

Cycling

Ben Chapman: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions 
	(1)  if he will set out the key components of cycling strategies; and what plans he has to monitor their implementation;
	(2)  if he will make a statement regarding local authorities which have failed to produce a cycling strategy.

John Spellar: Our guidance to local authorities on full local transport plans (LTPs), published in March 2000, set out both the minimum requirements of a cycling strategy and the characteristics expected in a good LTP as follows:
	Minimum requirements
	A discrete strategy for encouraging cycling, which establishes a clear target that contributes to the national targets for increasing cycle use
	Evidence that cyclists have been given a high priority
	Evidence that encouraging cycling is part of all transport policies, including road safety strategies
	Evidence of interaction with local planning authority to ensure that land use and development planning allows and encourages people to cycle
	Evidence that there has been a review of the road network, to establish where improvements to assist cyclists are needed
	Assessment of the quality of existing cycle networks, to identify where improvements are necessary
	Programme of measures to improve safety of cyclists and reduce conflicts with other traffic, including pedestrians
	Characteristic of a Good LTP
	Adopts a formal order in which planners consider the needs of different user types, placing cyclists near the top
	Partnerships for action with health, education, commercial and voluntary bodies
	Plans for improvement of physical provision to be based on methodical application of cycle review guidelines (published by IHT)
	Cycle audit all road and traffic schemes
	Aims to improve interchanges, and increase opportunities for combined cycle and public transport journeys
	Encourages cycling through Travelwise, Green Commuter Plans, Local Agenda 21 and School Transport Plans
	Minimises conflict between pedestrians and cyclists.
	Progress on the outcomes and targets established in LTPs, including those in the cycling strategies, will be monitored through a system of annual progress reports (APRs). Guidance to authorities on the production of APRs was published in March 2001. Copies were placed in the Library of the House. Authorities are required to submit their first APR by 31 August 2001.
	In notifying authorities of their capital allocations for 2001–02 in December 2000, our decision letters provided detailed feedback on the degree to which the LTPs had fulfilled the criteria for each element of the plan, including those set out for cycling strategies. We also identified, where appropriate, any specific areas in which authorities needed to improve their LTP. Our guidance on APRs makes clear that the annual reports should summarise actions taken to address these identified areas and to provide evidence of improvement.

Housing

Iain Coleman: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what percentage of (a) local authority and (b) registered social landlord rents in Hammersmith and Fulham he estimates will be in excess of £100 per week in (i) 2002, (ii) 2005 and (iii) 2010.

Sally Keeble: Estimates will be available only when the landlords have completed their rent plans, which are due by April 2002. However, later this summer the results will be available from the case study research into the practical issues arising from the rent reforms in west London. These will include initial estimates of the effects of the reforms on the rents of properties owned by London borough of Hammersmith and Fulham and Notting Hill Housing Trust.

Housing

Iain Coleman: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions 
	(1)  what consultation his Department has carried out to date over his policy on rent restructuring with (a) local authority tenants, (b) registered social landlord tenants, (c) local authorities and (d) registered social landlords;
	(2)  what plans his Department has to consult the representatives of local authority and registered social landlord tenants over his plans for rent restructuring; and if he will make a statement.

Sally Keeble: My Department's approach to bring a fairer and more coherent structure to social rents is set out in the December 2000 policy statement "Quality and Choice: A decent home for all—the way forward for housing". This drew on response to the April 2000 Green Paper "Quality and Choice: a decent home for all" which almost universally agreed on the need to bring more coherence into the structure of social rents. The Green Paper was sent to all local authorities, registered social landlords and national tenant groups.
	We are now in the implementation stage. The Housing Corporation is considering the results to its March 2000 consultation paper on its proposals for implementing the rent restructuring framework among registered social landlords and will shortly be publishing interim guidance. It plans to issue final guidance in the autumn.
	In the local authority sector, a consultation paper is being published on changes to the housing revenue account subsidy system to support rent restructuring.

Housing

Iain Coleman: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what his Department's most recent estimate is of the average increase of housing association tenants' rents in the next 10 years in real terms (a) in total and (b) in Hammersmith and Fulham.

Sally Keeble: The December 2000 policy statement "Quality and Choice: A decent home for all—the way forward for housing" stated that from 2002–03 the rents of registered social landlords (RSLs) should, on average, rise by 0.5 per cent. above inflation (RPI + 0.5 per cent.) per annum. Over a 10-year period this will result in average RSL rents rising by around 6 per cent. in real terms. Estimates for housing association tenants' rents in the London borough of Hammersmith and Fulham will only be available once their landlords have completed their rent plans. However, later this summer the results will be available from the case study research into the practical issues arising from the rent reforms in west London.

Housing

Iain Coleman: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what discretion in percentage terms his Department intends to give to local authorities in respect of the overall level of rents.

Sally Keeble: Local authorities will continue to be free to set rents at whatever level they consider appropriate. However the approach to social rent reforms set out in the December 2000 policy statement "Quality and Choice: A decent home for all—the way forward for housing" encourages social landlords to set rents on individual properties which are normally within a band of up to 5 per cent. higher or lower those indicated by the new rents formula.

Housing

Iain Coleman: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions when his Department expects to publish the consultation document on restructuring the housing revenue account subsidy system; and if he will make a statement.

Sally Keeble: We published this consultation paper on 13 July. I have arranged for a copy to be placed in the Library of the House. The closing date for comments on our proposals is 8 October.
	We have announced a policy for achieving fair and affordable rents in the social rented sector. As part of this we have set out a common basis on which all rents in the social sector should be set and announced a 10-year transitional period in which the changes should as far as possible be made.
	The housing revenue account (HRA) subsidy system needs to be changed so that it supports rent restructuring. At the same time the opportunity can be taken to relieve stresses in the system that have become apparent as a result of the way in which rent rebate subsidy limitation was introduced in 1996–97.

Trans-Pennine Rail Franchise

Helen Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions when he expects to make a decision on the Trans-Pennine rail franchise; and if the franchise will be determined on the basis of the guidelines to be issued on 16 July.

David Jamieson: holding answer 10 July 2001
	A decision on whether to make a direction under section 26 of the Railways Act 1993—that would allow the Strategic Rail Authority to proceed to the next stage of the franchising process for its proposed Trans-Pennine franchise—will be made in due course.
	We will make clear the scope and application of the franchising policy statement when it is published, shortly. It will not apply to replacement franchises for which the SRA has already invited best and final offers. This consultative statement will complement our draft directions and guidance to the authority and will also set out the Secretary of State's policy with regard to his powers under section 26.

Air Traffic Control

John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what his latest estimate is of the income to be generated by the sale of a 46 per cent. stake in NATS to the Airline Consortium.

David Jamieson: Completion of this Public Private Partnership is subject to the satisfaction of a number of conditions. In finalising these, the Government will ensure that the deal continues to deliver real value to the Government and to taxpayers.

Air Traffic Control

John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions if he will make a statement on his progress in appointing Government nominees as directors of the company formed to provide air traffic control services following the sale of NATS to the Airline Consortium.

David Jamieson: I hope to be able to make an announcement about the Government directors shortly.

Air Traffic Control

John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions when the sale of National Air Traffic Services to the Airline Consortium will be completed.

David Jamieson: Completion of the Public Private Partnership for National Air Traffic Services is subject to the satisfaction of certain conditions. We are working with the Airline Group to ensure that these conditions are satisfied at the earliest opportunity.

Air Traffic Control

John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what his estimate is of the opening date for the air traffic control centre at Swanwick, Hampshire.

David Jamieson: NATS have advised the Government that the new En Route Air Traffic Control Centre (NERC) at Swanwick is still on course to come into operation on 27 January 2002.

Air Traffic Control

John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what guarantees have been sought by the Airline Consortium purchasing National Air Traffic Services with regard to the opening of the new air traffic control centre at Swanwick, Hampshire.

David Jamieson: No guarantees have been given to the Airline Group in connection with the Swanwick centre. However, the Airline Group will be under a contractual obligation to complete and operate the new centre.

Channel Tunnel Rail Link

Robert Syms: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions if he will make a statement on the timetable for the introduction of the Channel Tunnel Rail Link.

David Jamieson: I am pleased to report that CTRL Section 1 (Channel Tunnel to Fawkham Junction in north Kent) is on schedule and on budget for completion in October 2003. Construction of CTRL Section 2 (Southfleet to St. Pancras) started on 2 July 2001, and is expected to be completed by the end of 2006.

DEFENCE

Live Ammunition

Martin Caton: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will place in the Library information about the percentage of all ammunition fired by the British Army in training that does not detonate.

Adam Ingram: The document that contains statistical data on performance failures is classified and therefore withheld in accordance with Exemption 1 of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information.

Altcar Training Camp

Claire Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on his future plans for the Altcar training camp.

Adam Ingram: The facilities at the Altcar training camp play an important role in meeting the training needs of the Regular forces, reserves, and cadets from all three services. The Ministry of Defence is considering proposals for the modernisation of the facilities at the camp, specifically the upgrading of targetry and associated range control features.

Multi-engine Aircraft Pilots

Michael Jack: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what multi-engine pilot shortfalls were predicted at the 22 November 2000 meeting of the multi-engine aircrew Training Steering Committee.

Adam Ingram: holding answer 10 July 2001
	An unspecified pilot shortfall was predicted to cover within the next two to three years.

Multi-engine Aircraft Pilots

Michael Jack: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what target the Training Group Defence Agency set for into productive service multi-engine pilots for 2001; and how many went into service in 2000–01.

Adam Ingram: holding answer 10 July 2001
	Against an Into Productive Service target of 55 for multi-engine pilots in the RAF, a total of 57 entered service in 2000–01.

Multi-engine Aircraft Pilots

Michael Jack: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what effect the lack of RAF flying personnel staying on past the 38/16 point will have on the supply of pilots for multi-engine aircraft in each year up to 2012.

Adam Ingram: holding answer 10 July 2001
	The number of pilots trained to fly multi-engine aircraft who leave the RAF at the age 38/16 years of service point is small. Last year 16 pilots (1.9 per cent. of trained strength on 1 April 2000) left the service at that point and although a small increase is forecast over the next five to six years, the rate is expected to return to current levels by 2007–08.

Multi-engine Aircraft Pilots

Michael Jack: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he last made of the likelihood of a shortage of junior officer multi-engine aircraft pilots in the RAF from the end of 2001.

Adam Ingram: holding answer 10 July 2001
	The current assessment is as follows:
	
		RAF multi-engine aircraft—junior officer pilot forecast shortfall
		
			  Requirement Forecast strength Forecast surplus/ shortfall 
		
		
			 2001–02 568 586 +18 
			 2002–03 571 580 +9 
			 2003–04 580 575 -5 
			 2004–05 593 563 -30 
			 2005–06 603 552 -51 
			 2006–07 600 543 -57 
			 2007–08 608 538 -70 
			 2008–09 586 539 -47 
			 2009–10 585 542 -43 
			 2010–11 574 549 -25 
			 2011–12 571 555 -16 
		
	
	Addressing pilot shortfalls is a key priority for the Government and RAF and a number of initiatives are being undertaken to address this problem. These include the introduction of an in-service degree scheme to attract aircrew at a younger age, fully manning the RAF training systems, and the introduction of targeted financial incentives and the Linkup scheme to help improve retention. A comprehensive review of aircrew retention measures across the armed forces is also being undertaken and will report later this year, hopefully in time to influence the Armed Forces Pay Review Body's deliberations for their 2002 report.

STANOC Centre

Robert Key: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence to which military unit the STANOC Centre is attached; for what reason it was transferred from HQ Director Royal Artillery; what the annual cost or saving resulting from the move is; and how many personnel were employed in the centre in (a) 2000 and (b) 2001.

Adam Ingram: holding answer 10 July 2001
	The Surveillance, Target Acquisition, Night Observation and Counter-surveillance (STANOC) centre is currently part of the Royal Artillery Trials and Development Unit, which is an element of Headquarters Director Royal Artillery based at Larkhill in Wiltshire. As a result of the General Staff Review and a further study into Army Trials and Development Units, it has been decided that the STANOC centre's outputs would most effectively be provided in the future by disaggregating its prime responsibilities to the Land Warfare Training Centre (LWTC) and Infantry Trials and Development Unit (ITDU), both of which are based at Warminster. The current annual cost of the STANOC centre is £242,878. The provision of new infrastructure at Warminster is currently estimated at £65,000. Six military personnel were employed at the STANOC centre in 2000, and from 1 September 2001 three of these posts will be transferred to the LWTC and ITDU at Warminster and the remaining three posts will be redeployed elsewhere in the Field Army. Therefore, there will be no overall saving to the defence budget.

Tritium

Paul Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of the availability of tritium for Britain's military defence programme following the accident at the Chapelcross reactor Number 3 this month.

Geoff Hoon: The incident at Chapelcross had no impact upon the availability of tritium for Britain's military defence programme.

National Missile Defence

Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what contribution he is making to President Bush's deliberations over the sort of missile defence system the United States will deploy.

Geoff Hoon: We continue to discuss missile defence and related issues regularly with the United States. We have consistently made it clear that we share US concerns about the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and their means of delivery, and that we will continue to work together to tackle the potential threat with a comprehensive strategy. And we welcome the fact that they are consulting with Allies, Russia and others on this important issue. But it is ultimately a matter for the US Administration to decide what sort of missile defences they will seek to deploy. They have not yet done so, and nor have they made any request for the use of facilities in the UK for missile defence purposes.

Porton Down

Matthew Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will place in the Library copies of communications from the Medical Research Council to his Department outlining the reasons why they believed an epidemiological study of the Porton Down volunteers is feasible.

Lewis Moonie: There are no such communications. The feasibility of an epidemiological study was discussed formally at a meeting on 5 April 2001. Notes of that meeting are contained in the briefing pack for research teams wishing to undertake the study. A copy of the pack has been placed in the Library of the House.

Porton Down

Matthew Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will place in the Library 
	(1)  a copy of the information pack which is being sent to academic researchers who submit an expression of interest in carrying out an epidemiological study of service volunteers who took part in experiments at the Chemical Defence Establishment, Porton Down;
	(2)  a copy of the protocol drawn up by the Chemical Defence Establishment, Porton Down, to carry out the experiment in 1983 in which service personnel were exposed to sarin nerve gas and involved the technique of single fibre electromyography.

Lewis Moonie: Yes.

Liquidated Damages

Rudi Vis: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 
	(1)  if his Department invites bidders to offer liquidated damages as a standard percentage of their tendered price with a standard time limit on their application; and how he ensures that contractors do not include the value of potential liquidated damages payments in their tendered prices;
	(2)  what role liquidated damages indemnities play in securing the FASTER element of his Department's smart procurement initiative;
	(3)  what procedures his Department follows to establish the level of likely damage on which to base liquidated damages indemnities; and to establish an upper limit of liquidated damages in each case.

Lewis Moonie: I will write to my hon. Friend and a copy of my letter will be placed in the Library of the House.

Japanese Internees

Jacqui Lait: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what definition of British nationality is used to establish the entitlement of Japanese internees to compensation.

Lewis Moonie: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave the hon. Member for Macclesfield (Mr. Winterton) on 11 January 2001, Official Report, column 517W.

TREASURY

EU Funding

Nigel Dodds: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what proportion of the United Kingdom's contribution to the EU was calculated to come from Northern Ireland in each of the last three years.

Ruth Kelly: Contributions are made for the United Kingdom as a whole and no such estimates are therefore available.

Hidden Economy

Ashok Kumar: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate the loss in tax revenue to his Department in the last year from people operating in the hidden economy for each of the regions in the United Kingdom.

Andrew Smith: No such estimates have been made.

Equitable Life

Russell Brown: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when the review of the events leading up to Equitable Life's decision to close to new business and the role of the Financial Services Authority will be published; and if he will make a statement.

Ruth Kelly: I understand from the Financial Services Authority that the review team is not yet in a position to complete its report. I can confirm that it remains our intention to publish the report as soon as it is practicable.

HEALTH

NHS (West Sussex)

Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on NHS structures in west Sussex.

Hazel Blears: West Sussex health authority is committed to working in an integrated way with the whole of the national health service, stakeholders and local social services. The introduction of primary care trusts will further enable the health authority to work towards improved quality of services along with better value for money. Any substantive changes to NHS structures in west Sussex will be subject to full statutory consultation.

"Information for Health"

Mark Todd: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the cost of implementing "Information for Health"; from which budgets that cost will be funded; and if he will make a statement.

John Hutton: "Information for Health" is an ambitious and far-reaching strategy for information technology investment in the national health service and investment in IT for the national health service is expected to grow by around £1.6 billion over the lifetime of the strategy up to 31 March 2004.
	This figure reflects national estimates of the sum of investment needed to deliver "Information for Health" and the IT components of the NHS plan. The majority of this investment will be made available to local health communities through health authority allocations. The allocations are intended as a guide for local health communities in ensuring that their own plans will meet the targets and milestones for implementing the NHS plan.

Hospices

Tony Worthington: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  how many beds in hospices are available to the national health service; and what the figures were for each of the last 10 years;
	(2)  what level of financial support is given per bed to hospices; and what estimate he has made of the cost to the national health service per bed of providing the same level of service itself;
	(3)  what proportion of the costs of running hospices is met by (a) grants from the national health service and (b) charitable giving; and what the figures were in each of the past 10 years;
	(4)  what guidelines he gives to NHS funding bodies about the level of support that should be given to hospices;
	(5)  what plans he has to review policy on the relationship between the NHS and the hospice movement.

Yvette Cooper: holding answer 2 July 2001
	The total number of beds separated into national health service specialist palliative care units and voluntary hospices for each of the past 10 years for the United Kingdom is shown in the table. All hospice beds are available to NHS patients.
	
		
			 Date NHS units Beds Voluntary hospices Beds Total units Beds 
		
		
			 January 1991 41 525 110 2,037 151 2,562 
			 January 1992 43 522 127 2,236 170 2,758 
			 January 1993 50 573 134 2,286 184 2,859 
			 January 1994 50 573 143 2,399 193 2,972 
			 January 1995 46 533 149 2,485 195 3,018 
			 January 1996 50 557 150 2,468 200 3,025 
			 January 1997 56 595 147 2,458 203 3,053 
			 January 1998 59 605 146 2,474 205 3,079 
			 January 1999 61 622 145 2,445 206 3,067 
			 January 2000 56 600 146 2,469 202 3,069 
			 January 2001 57 607 152 2,480 209 3,087 
		
	
	Source:
	Hospice Information Service
	In addition, the NHS collects information on the number of beds also provided by NHS trusts in wards classified as being for patients who are terminally ill or in need of palliative care in the annual publication 'Bed availability and occupancy—England', copies of which are available in the Library.
	It is for the NHS locally to make arrangements for financial support for hospices, given the extent of local diversity both of the services provided and of alternative sources of local support. Accordingly we have issued no guidance specifying a set percentage of revenue costs that individual health authorities and primary care organisations should meet. Successive guidance to health authorities has made clear their responsibilities for developing palliative care strategies based on the assessed health needs of the resident population.
	The National Council for Hospices and Specialist Palliative Care Services has estimated that total expenditure on hospice and specialist palliative care for adults is £300 million. Of this, £170 million is provided by the voluntary sector and £130 million through the NHS. Information on the NHS contribution to hospices over the past 10 years is not available.
	The NHS cancer plan set out our commitment to increase NHS investment in specialist palliative care by £50 million by 2004. This will mean that for the first time ever NHS investment in specialist palliative care services will match that of the voluntary sector. Health authority allocations in 2001–02 included a total of £255 million to support the first year of local implementation of the NHS cancer plan. Priorities for this year include the development of costed strategic plans for palliative care.
	Cancer networks are currently developing detailed service delivery plans, which will identify current position and set out action plans for further development across all services including palliative care. These will be completed by the autumn.

Electricity Pylons and Telecommunications Masts

Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent research his Department has (a) commissioned and (b) evaluated into the possible health effects on people who live near (i) electricity pylons and (ii) telecommunications masts; and if he will make a statement.

Yvette Cooper: holding answer 3 July 2001
	The Department obtains advice on potential health effects risks associated with electromagnetic fields (EMF), such as those from power lines or mobile phone masts, from the National Radiological Protection Board (NRPB).
	Power line EMF has been reviewed in a report published on 6 March by the NRPB's Advisory Group on non-ionising radiation and provides an assessment of the potential risks of cancer. (Documents of the NRPB Vol. 12, No 1, 2001). Copies have been placed in the Library. The board of the NRPB also published a response statement which can be found on the NRPB website www.nrpb.org.uk. The report states that any possible risk of childhood leukaemia relates to those exposed at relatively high levels of domestic magnetic field exposure but that these are not necessarily associated with proximity to pylons or overhead power transmission lines. The conclusions indicate that the question of whether exposure to electromagnetic fields can influence the development of cancer cannot at present be completely resolved.
	Mobile phone base stations (transmission masts) emit radio waves at very different frequencies to those fields generated by power lines. They are therefore being dealt with as a separate issue. The possible public health implications of mobile phone technology has been investigated by the Independent Expert Group on Mobile Phones (the Stewart group). Its report, published in May 2000 concluded that:
	"the balance of evidence indicates that there is no general risk to the health of people living near to base stations on the basis that exposures are expected to be small fractions of guidelines."
	It also included a recommendation for a substantial research programme to be set up to investigate the possible effects of mobile phone technology more generally. A three year programme, jointly funded by Government and industry, has now been launched and has invited proposals relating to all aspects of mobile phone technology including telecommunications masts and handsets. The research is being undertaken under the direction of an independent programme management committee. Details can be found on the Department website www.doh.gov.uk/mobilephones.
	The Department is also continuing to provide financial support for the World Health Organisation International Electromagnetic Fields (EMF) Project which is comprehensively reviewing EMF effects, including those of power frequency fields and radio waves.

Preston, Chorley and South Ribble Hospital Trust

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what salary the new chief executive of Preston, Chorley and South Ribble Hospital Trust will receive;
	(2)  who has been appointed chief executive of Preston, Chorley and South Ribble Hospital Trust; and if the post of Chief Executive was advertised;
	(3)  how many meetings of the appointment panel took place before the decision was made to appoint a new chief executive of Preston, Chorley and South Ribble Hospital Trust.

John Hutton: At their next public meetings in late July, the boards of Chorley, South Ribble and Preston Acute Hospitals National Health Service Trusts are expected to consider seeking ministerial approval to consult on a possible merger. There has been no formal approach to Ministers, or the Department. A paper, to be taken in public session, will also include a proposed job description for the proposed new joint chief executive.

NHS Dentistry

David Kidney: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of the level of access to NHS dentistry by September.

Hazel Blears: In September 1999 my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister promised that within two years everyone will be able to access national health service dentistry if and when they want it via NHS Direct. All health authorities now have in place dentistry action plans to ensure that everyone in the local area can access NHS dentistry if they want it within a reasonable time and distance.

Waiting Lists

Virginia Bottomley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many and what percentage of patients waiting for in-patient treatment have been waiting for more than one year (a) at the latest date available and (b) in May 1997 in each health authority.

John Hutton: The information requested is shown in the table. Waiting time information was not collected on a monthly basis in 1997 and so we have provided figures for the nearest date for which we have data.
	In 1997 we promised to reduce waiting lists by 100,000. We have done this and today there are 125,000 fewer patients waiting for in-patient treatment than when we came into power. We are going to build on this. As part of our NHS Plan the National Health Service is working to reduce the maximum waiting time for admission to hospital from 18 months today to six months by the end of 2005. By the same date the maximum waiting time for an out-patient appointment will be reduced from over six months today to three months.
	
		
			  May 2001 June 1997  
			 Health authority Number of over 12 month waiters Percentage of over 12 month waiters Number of over 12 month waiters Percentage of over 12 month waiters 
		
		
			 Hillingdon 250 6.0 313 5.9 
			 Kensington, Chelsea and Westminster 99 2.2 134 2.6 
			 Redbridge and Waltham Forest 811 8.0 1,288 9.1 
			 Bedfordshire 725 7.0 293 2.6 
			 Berkshire 516 3.6 542 3.7 
			 Buckinghamshire 777 5.7 701 4.9 
			 Croydon 606 8.8 292 3.4 
			 East Kent 1,122 6.8 41 0.3 
			 West Kent 1,551 6.6 799 3.1 
			 Kingston and Richmond 448 6.2 442 5.4 
			 Lambeth, Southwark and Lewisham 1,603 9.9 2,301 11.4 
			 Merton, Sutton and Wandsworth 594 5.9 503 4.1 
			 East Surrey 754 8.6 417 4.1 
			 West Surrey 1,522 10.5 1,452 8.9 
			 East Sussex, Brighton and Hove 1,160 6.1 650 3.2 
			 West Sussex 1,816 9.7 1,672 7.8 
			 Barking and Havering 521 5.1 460 4.0 
			 Brent and Harrow 439 5.3 717 6.3 
			 Camden and Islington 263 4.4 221 2.5 
			 Ealing, Hammersmith and Hounslow 726 5.3 1,549 9.9 
			 East London and the City 536 4.5 691 4.9 
			 North Essex 1,331 6.4 1,010 4.1 
			 South Essex 493 2.9 202 1.1 
			 South Lancashire 258 3.2 432 4.4 
			 Liverpool 504 4.7 683 5.3 
			 Manchester 697 6.1 891 7.2 
			 Morecambe Bay 183 2.7 101 1.4 
			 St. Helens and Knowsley 319 3.4 345 3.5 
			 Salford and Trafford 849 6.7 763 5.6 
			 Sefton 287 3.9 521 5.7 
			 Stockport 248 3.5 264 3.6 
			 West Pennine 285 2.3 235 1.7 
			 Northamptonshire 623 4.5 460 3.1 
			 Oxfordshire 487 4.5 842 7.3 
			 Suffolk 617 4.0 618 3.7 
			 Barnsley 18 0.4 104 2.1 
			 North Derbyshire 55 0.7 1,204 11.0 
			 Southern Derbyshire 212 1.7 663 5.3 
			 Doncaster 9 0.2 47 0.8 
			 Leicestershire 364 2.3 371 2.2 
			 Lincolnshire 561 3.6 1,767 8.7 
			 North Nottinghamshire 60 0.8 269 2.9 
			 Nottingham 195 1.8 1,122 8.1 
			 Rotherham 8 0.2 119 2.4 
			 Sheffield 60 0.6 724 6.1 
			 Bury and Rochdale 258 2.8 162 1.6 
			 North Cheshire 717 8.2 269 2.9 
			 South Cheshire 622 4.4 978 5.6 
			 East Lancashire 154 1.2 109 0.8 
			 North West Lancashire 171 1.5 262 2.0 
			 North and Mid Hampshire 530 5.0 402 3.7 
			 Southampton and South West Hampshire 1,011 7.3 1,252 7.7 
			 Somerset 357 3.1 91 0.8 
			 South and West Devon 783 5.8 101 0.7 
			 Wiltshire 745 6.0 779 5.5 
			 Avon 1,436 6.8 1,689 7.1 
			 Birmingham 238 1.6 55 0.3 
			 Wigan and Bolton 484 3.6 378 2.3 
			 Wirral 128 2.5 89 1.5 
			 Bradford 88 0.8 564 5.0 
			 County Durham and Darlington 94 0.8 66 0.5 
			 East Riding and Hull 321 2.8 475 3.7 
			 Gateshead and South Tyneside 43 0.6 138 1.5 
			 Leeds 367 2.6 249 1.7 
			 Newcastle and North Tyneside 112 1.5 207 2.2 
			 North Cumbria 188 2.6 312 3.5 
			 South Humber 37 0.5 893 9.1 
			 Northumberland 56 1.1 65 1.1 
			 Sunderland 38 0.6 29 0.4 
			 Tees 104 1.0 17 0.1 
			 Wakefield 173 2.5 220 2.7 
			 North Yorkshire 168 1.3 170 1.1 
			 Calderdale and Kirklees 148 1.3 142 1.2 
			 Cornwall and Isles of Scilly 685 5.4 200 1.6 
			 Dorset 12 0.1 4 0.0 
			 North and East Devon 689 6.2 425 3.5 
			 Gloucestershire 131 1.6 45 0.5 
			 Coventry 77 1.6 10 0.2 
			 Dudley 80 1.6 16 0.3 
			 Herefordshire 107 3.8 85 2.7 
			 Sandwell 28 0.6 3 0.1 
			 Shropshire 280 3.8 19 0.3 
			 Solihull 21 0.6 8 0.3 
			 North Staffordshire 225 4.0 200 2.9 
			 South Staffordshire 721 5.8 64 0.5 
			 Walsall 27 1.0 7 0.2 
			 Warwickshire 73 0.7 21 0.2 
			 Wolverhampton 43 1.2 92 1.8 
			 Worcestershire 414 4.3 111 1.2 
			 Cambridgeshire 603 4.2 (2)— (2)— 
			 Norfolk 994 5.3 (2)— (2)— 
			 Isle of Wight, Portsmouth and South East Hampshire 1,040 7.0 (2)— (2)— 
			 Barnet, Enfield and Haringey 1,040 6.7 (2)— (2)— 
			 Hertfordshire 1,353 6.5 (2)— (2)— 
			 Bexley, Bromley and Greenwich 839 6.2 (2)— (2)— 
		
	
	(2) These health authorities did not exist in 1997
	Source:
	QF01 quarterly returns

Hip and Knee Replacements

Paul Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many (a) hip replacement and (b) knee replacement operations required revision operations in each of the past 10 years.

John Hutton: holding answer 9 July 2001
	The table shows the data for in-patient episodes for hip and knee revisions in national health service hospitals in England, from 1989–90 to 1999–2000, the latest year for which figures are available.
	
		
			 Year All hip Hip revision Percentage revision All knee Knee revision Percentage revision 
		
		
			 1990–91 49,659 5,336 10.7 14,150 701 5.0 
			 1991–92 55,396 5,602 10.1 17,348 780 4.5 
			 1992–93 57,377 5,628 9.8 19,999 971 4.9 
			 1993–94 58,643 5,256 9.0 22,669 988 4.4 
			 1994–95 62,511 5,662 9.1 25,342 1,202 4.7 
			 1995–96 65,636 6,436 9.8 29,550 1,298 4.4 
			 1996–97 63,527 6,416 10.1 26,877 1,390 5.2 
			 1997–98 62,394 6,273 10.1 27,410 1,439 5.2 
			 1998–99 68,025 6,853 10.1 31,919 1,573 4.9 
			 1999–2000 68,920 6,350 9.2 33,007 1,557 4.7

Tinnitus

Ian Gibson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what resources have been allocated to research into the (a) causes, (b) symptoms, (c) detection and (d) treatments of tinnitus in each of the last five years.

John Hutton: The Department funds research to support policy and the delivery of effective practice in the national health service. The Department also provides NHS support funding for research commissioned by the Medical Research Council and charities that takes place in the NHS. The Department has provided or is providing such funding for five ongoing projects relating to tinnitus and 21 completed projects. Details of these projects can be found on the National Research Register which is available in the Library on CD Rom, or via the internet at www.doh.gov.uk/research/nrr/htm.
	The main Government agency for research into the causes of and treatments for diseases is the MRC which receives its funding via the Department of Trade and Industry. The MRC spent £755,000 specifically on tinnitus research in 1996–97 and £875,000 in 1997–98. In 1998–99 the MRC spent £3.49 million on hearing research in general and £3.34 million in 1999–2000, some of which would be relevant to tinnitus.

Correspondence

Gerald Kaufman: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, consequent on his letter dated 6 June to the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton 
	(1)  with regard to Mr. Stephen Holden, if he will now obtain for the right hon. Member the promised reply from the chairman of the Central Manchester and Manchester Children's University Hospitals NHS Trust;
	(2)  with regard to Mr. Robert McDonald, if he will obtain for the right hon. Member the promised response from the chairman of the Central Manchester and Manchester Children's University Hospitals NHS Trust.

Hazel Blears: I understand that Mr. Peter Mount, chairman of the Central Manchester and Manchester Children's University Hospitals National Health Service Trust wrote to my right hon. Friend on 21 June and 6 July in respect of his constituents Mr. Stephen Holden and Mr. Robert McDonald.

Correspondence

Simon Burns: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when the hon. Member for West Chelmsford can expect a reply to his letter of 9 April relating to his constituent Mr. P. Arnill of Lavender House, Dragon road, Great Leighs; and if he will make a statement on the factors underlying the delay in replying.

Hazel Blears: The Department has not received a copy of the hon. Member's letter of the 9 April relating to his constituent Mr. P. Arnill.

Core Targets

David Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he intends to notify NHS trusts of the traffic light indicators for core targets against which their performance will be judged in the financial year 2001–02.

John Hutton: National health service trusts will be advised of the specific targets that will be used to traffic light 2001–02 performance later this year.

Ritalin

Theresa May: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what studies his Department has (a) undertaken and (b) commissioned on the impact of Ritalin on the long-term health of children.

Yvette Cooper: holding answer 10 July 2001
	The Department funded a research project entitled "Working memory in children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD): the impact of methylphenidate (Ritalin)", by Dr. Kim Cornish of the Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry at the University of Nottingham, at a cost of £26,585. The final report was received by the Department in April 2001 and has been submitted by Dr. Cornish to journals for publication.
	The Department funds research to support policy development in health and social care, and to support effective practice in the national health service. The Department also provides NHS support funding for research commissioned by the Medical Research Council (MRC) and by charities where this takes place in the NHS. The Department has provided or is providing such funding for six other recently completed projects and five other ongoing projects relating to Ritalin. Details of these projects can be found on the National Research Register which is available in the Library on CD Rom, and on the internet via http:\\www/doh.gov.uk/research.
	As with all medicines, the safety of Ritalin is continually monitored by the Medicines Control Agency and by the Committee on Safety of Medicines, an independent expert advisory body.
	The MRC is the main agency through which we fund research on the causes and treatment of disease. The MRC receives most of its income via grant-in-aid from my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, via the Office of Science and Technology. The MRC funds projects on ADHD but is not funding currently any research specifically into Ritalin. The MRC always welcomes high quality applications for research into any aspect of human health and these are judged in competition with other demands for funding. Awards are made according to the scientific quality and importance to health of the applications.

Cancer Drugs

Sandra Gidley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the clinical implication of a delay in Herceptin treatment of women with breast cancer who over express the HER 2 marker.

Evan Harris: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what assessment he has made of the clinical implication of a delay in the use of Irinotecan, Oxaliplatin and Raltitrexed in the treatment of advanced colorectal cancer, at (a) first-line and (b) second-line;
	(2)  what assessment he has made of the clinical implication of a delay in the use of Rituximab for the treatment of follicular lymphoma.

Yvette Cooper: holding answer 11 July 2001
	The National Institute of Clinical Excellence (NICE) has been asked to evaluate each of these drugs, and to assess their clinical and cost-effectiveness in the treatment of advanced breast cancer, advanced colorectal cancer and follicular lymphoma.
	NICE will base its recommendations on the evidence of clinical benefits—including the impact on the quality of life as well as the likely effects on mortality, and estimates of the associated costs.
	It will consider which, if any, of those patients diagnosed with these particular cancers will benefit from these new drugs. The publication dates for guidance on all of these drugs are to be confirmed. If NICE makes a positive recommendation all health authorities will be expected to fund these treatments from the additional £255 million available to them for cancer services in 2001–02.

Cancer Drugs

Evan Harris: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of the number of people with follicular lymphoma that are being denied Rituximab for the treatment of their disease.

Yvette Cooper: holding answer 11 July 2001
	Follicular lymphoma is one of a diverse group of cancers known as non-Hodgkins lymphomas (NHLs). NHLs account for about 2 per cent. of all cancers. There are about 9,000 people diagnosed with NHLs in the United Kingdom each year.
	The National Institute for Clinical Excellence is evaluating and assessing the clinical and cost- effectiveness of Rituximab in the treatment of follicular lymphoma. If they recommend its use the guidance will make clear which of those patients diagnosed with follicular lymphoma should benefit from it.

Nurses

Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many nurses employed in the NHS for the first time in each of the past 12 months have (a) had a contract with an employment agency and (b) been other nurses.

John Hutton: Figures from the Department for the expenditure on agency nurses in 1999–2000 are available in the Library. Information on the number of nurses employed in the national health service for the first time are not held centrally but may be available from individual NHS employers.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

Gas

David Chaytor: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment he has made of the potential increase in the market for gas arising from the expansion of the gas network.

Brian Wilson: Approximately 20 per cent. of households do not have access to gas. The Government, Ofgem and the industry are currently working to facilitate the extension of the network. It is not yet clear how many households will be able to benefit from this work. However the Government hope that as many as possible will have access to the gas network.

Energy Policy Review

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will publish the detailed terms of reference of the Government's review of energy policy.

Brian Wilson: The Performance and Innovation Unit has posted a note of the scope of the project on its website, which can be found at www.cabinet-office.gov.uk/ innovation.

Energy Policy Review

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how she proposes to evaluate and measure the benefits of security of supply in the Government's energy review.

Brian Wilson: Security of supply is a key element of the energy review currently being undertaken by the Performance and Innovation Unit (PIU). The PIU has published a note of the scope of the review on its website and will be publishing further papers as its work develops.

Energy Policy Review

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if the assessment of nuclear power in the Government's energy review will incorporate the full life cycle costs of decommissioning and waste disposal.

Brian Wilson: The review of energy policy will be considering what role, if any, the nuclear industry should play in meeting longer term environmental and security of supply objectives. As with other energy sources, the review will take into account all costs which are relevant to these longer-term questions.

Industrial Diseases

John Cummings: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many interim payments were offered in respect of claims for chronic bronchitis and emphysema by area and by month since 1999.

Brian Wilson: The number of interim payments made to chronic bronchitis and emphysema claimants since 1 January 1999, broken down by area, are as follows.
	
		
			 Date England Wales Scotland Total 
		
		
			 Pre-December 1998 6,739 2,809 972 10,520 
			  
			 1999 
			 January 483 87 65 635 
			 February 170 53 31 254 
			 March 556 102 31 689 
			 April 360 95 15 470 
			 May 396 76 33 505 
			 June 320 76 13 409 
			 July 312 94 44 450 
			 August 254 68 7 329 
			 September 257 143 0 400 
			 October 293 146 6 445 
			 November 260 139 11 410 
			 December 379 119 2 500 
			  
			 2000 
			 January 404 166 8 578 
			 February 411 216 40 667 
			 March 526 172 20 718 
			 April 418 103 44 565 
			 May 425 71 61 557 
			 June 361 158 60 579 
			 July 541 150 49 740 
			 August 461 137 42 640 
			 September 486 111 44 641 
			 October 434 156 90 680 
			 November 406 177 64 647 
			 December 762 337 77 1,176 
			  
			 2001 
			 January 568 263 92 923 
			 February 593 236 155 984 
			 March 762 290 124 1,176 
			 April 718 247 149 1,114 
			 May 1,600 562 174 2,336 
			 June 2,271 800 145 3,216 
			  
			 Total 22,926 8,359 2,668 33,953

Industrial Diseases

John Cummings: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many widows' claims are outstanding in respect of their late husbands' claims for chronic bronchitis and emphysema, broken down by area and month since 1999.

Brian Wilson: I regret that IRISC, the Department's handler, is unable to provide figures as to the number of widow's claims outstanding by region and by month since 1999 in the time given.
	However, I can confirm the IRISC has registered 54,938 claims in respect of miners' widows and families, to date. Of these, so far the Department has paid almost 6,000 bereavement and loss of society awards.
	In May 2001, an initiative was agreed to make an interim payment of £2,000 to widows who have received a bereavement award, subject to certain conditions. The Department has, to date, made 1,932 of these awards.
	In total, 13,600 interims and final settlements have been paid to miners' families, amounting to £65.8 million.

Industrial Diseases

John Cummings: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what is his estimate of the time which will be taken to settle all claims for (a) chronic bronchitis and emphysema and (b) vibration white finger.

Brian Wilson: It is difficult to say when all compensation claims for both respiratory disease and vibration white finger, VWF will be settled, not least because new claims are still being received.
	With regard to respiratory disease, there are currently 153,200 claims registered and 900 new claims continue to be initiated each week. To date, almost 124,000 claims for VWF have been registered, with an approximate weekly increase of 330 claims per week. While the number of claims continue to increase, the Department is unable to provide, with accuracy, an estimate of the time taken to settle claims.

Industrial Diseases

John Cummings: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what was the average length of time taken from an interim payment in respect of a claim for chronic bronchitis and emphysema being offered to payment being received, broken down by area in each of the last three years.

Brian Wilson: Under the respiratory disease handling agreement signed between the Department and the claimants' solicitors, the Department makes the following interim payment:
	1. an interim payment of £2,000 is made upon provision by a claimant to IRISC of verification of receipt of the Industrial Injuries Benefit, PD D12, subject to confirmation of the number of years of underground work as set out in the handling agreement;
	2. a bereavement award is payable to the widow upon production of a death certificate for their husband citing one of eight descriptors;
	3. when a claimant has attended an appointment to undergo the medical assessment process, MAP, and the report has shown that the claimant is exhibiting symptoms of injuries British Coal is liable for the IRISC, the Department's claims handler, is unable to make an offer in full and final settlement, an interim will be made;
	4. interim payments are made upon completion of screening spirometry with a tariff agreed with the claimants' solicitors in accordance with the criteria set out in the handling agreement.
	The majority of these are made directly by issuing a cheque rather than making an offer and waiting for acceptance. The only interim where there is a prior offer stage is the one in respect of an initiative agreed in May 2001 to make a £2,000 interim to widows in receipt of a bereavement award. The payment of this award is dependent on a response from the claimant and subject to certain criteria. The payment of this interim is also dependent on IRISC, the Department's claims handler, being in receipt from the claimants' solicitors of the requisite documents to ensure that payment is made to the right individual, as determined by the grant of probate. I regret that the Department is unable to provide figures for the turnaround time of these interims broken down by area. This depends, among other things, on the time of responses from the claimant. However, I can confirm that once IRISC is in receipt of the necessary documents, the average length of time taken to making a payment is 1.5 weeks.

Industrial Diseases

John Cummings: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what steps he is taking to improve the process for claimants suffering from chronic bronchitis and emphysema and who have made a claim for compensation in the north-east area.

Brian Wilson: The key to speeding up the compensation process in the north-east lies in the recruitment of more respiratory specialists.
	Healthcall, the company contracted to deliver the medical assessment, will move resources to areas where the rate of MAP assessments is unsatisfactory, such as the north-east. Recently, a specialist has been employed in a full time capacity in the north-east and a further specialist has been identified who is prepared to travel from Scotland to work in the Newcastle and Durham area.
	Healthcall are also installing extra long function testing equipment at the centre in Durham to increase the rate of assessments still further. The use of one or both of the mobile testing centres in the area is also being investigated.

Nuclear Power Stations

Paul Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement on phasing out nuclear power stations.

Brian Wilson: As with other electricity generation options, decisions on station lifetimes are a commercial matter for the generating companies subject to the necessary authorisation by NII. It is expected that existing nuclear stations will continue to contribute to the country's energy requirements and to the reduction of CO 2 emissions for as long as the companies consider it economic for them to do so and provided they meet the high safety and environmental standards required.

Solar Power

David Kidney: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment she has made of the contribution that solar power can make to meeting the United Kingdom's energy needs.

Brian Wilson: Solar power is a technology with significant longer-term potential in helping to meet the UK's energy needs.
	With a view to bringing forward this technology's potential, we are supporting a range of initiatives such as domestic and large-scale commercial field trials plus the first phase of a major PV roofs programme aimed, in time, at matching those in Germany and Japan.

Weights and Measures Act

Ian Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when she proposes to introduce the changes outlined in the public consultation paper on proposed legislative changes under the Weights and Measures Act 1985 issued in December 2000.

Melanie Johnson: holding answer 11 July 2001
	The responses to the consultation document are under consideration.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

Lord Ashcroft

Matthew Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs on what date his Department received a request for documents under the Data Protection Act 1998 from Lord Ashcroft; and on what date his Department replied to the request.

Denis MacShane: Under the non-disclosure provisions of the Data Protection Act 1998 it is not appropriate to disclose personal data except to the data subject concerned.

Zimbabwe

Cheryl Gillan: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made regarding the decision by the Zimbabwean authorities not to extend the work permit of the reporter David Blair.

Ben Bradshaw: In his statement of 27 June, the Foreign Secretary expressed concern at the Zimbabwe Government's decision not to renew David Blair's work permit and expressed his hope that the Government of Zimbabwe would reconsider their decision.

Turkey

Andrew Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the effect of Turkey's ban of the Virtue Party on Turkey's prospects of joining the EU; and if he will make a statement.

Peter Hain: We are concerned at the Turkish Constitutional Court's decision to order the closure of Fazilet. The decision has worrying implications for democratic pluralism and freedom of expression in Turkey. The EU statement of 25 June (available on the internet at http://ue.eu.int/newsroom/main.cfm?LANG=1) expressed this concern. Turkey (like all other candidates) must meet the Copenhagen political criteria before beginning negotiations to join the European Union.

Diplomatic Missions

Joan Humble: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the names of diplomatic missions in the United Kingdom that owed more than £10,000 at 4 April in respect of national non-domestic rates for office premises.

Jack Straw: Most diplomatic missions in the United Kingdom meet their obligations and pay the national non-domestic rates requested from them. However, as at 4 April 2001 the following missions owed over £10,000 in respect of national non-domestic rates (NNDR):
	
		
			 Country £ 
		
		
			 Nigeria 339,925.44 
			 Iran 105,827.16 
			 Sierra Leone 66,246.88 
			 Yugoslavia 46,638.87 
			 Algeria 39,844.82 
			 Ivory Coast 33,303.54 
			 Mozambique 30,564.99 
			 Jordan 29,048.13 
			 Cameroon 24,583.30 
			 Egypt 23,925.02 
			 Uganda 21,985.39 
			 Libya 21,358.92 
			 Bangladesh 16,131.99 
			 Democratic Republic of Congo 15,765.48 
			 Senegal 12,253.02 
			  
			 Total 827,402.95 
		
	
	Eight additional diplomatic missions who owe £10,000 more in respect of national non-domestic rates have made arrangements with the Valuation Office Agency to clear their outstanding debts and have not been included in this list. The total amount outstanding from all missions, including these additional diplomatic missions, is approximately £1,480,218.62.

Diplomatic Missions

Joan Humble: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many outstanding parking and other minor traffic violation fines were incurred by diplomatic missions and international organisations in the United Kingdom during the year ending 31 December 2000.

Jack Straw: At the end of 2000, unpaid fines in respect of parking and other minor traffic violations incurred by diplomatic missions and international organisations in the United Kingdom totalled 5,889. In May this year the Foreign and Commonwealth Office wrote to all diplomatic missions and international organisations in the United Kingdom giving them the opportunity to either pay their outstanding fines or appeal against them if they considered that they had been issued incorrectly. As a result payments totalling £81,120.00 were received, leaving a total of 3,936 unpaid fines for 2000. The table details those diplomatic missions and international organisations that have more than 10 fines outstanding.
	
		Unpaid parking and minor traffic violation fines— 2000—diplomatic vehicles
		
			 Position/diplomatic mission/ international organisation  Number of fines outstanding 
		
		
			 1. Nigeria 1,084 
			 2. United Arab Emirates 272 
			 3. Egypt 148 
			 4. Qatar 145 
			 5. Iran 114 
			 6. Ghana 104 
			 7. Turkey 96 
			 8. Saudi Arabia 82 
			 9. Ethiopia 74 
			 10. France 69 
			 10. Oman 69 
			 10. Ukraine 69 
			 11. Greece 68 
			 12. Algeria 59 
			 13. China 57 
			 14. Cyprus 55 
			 14. Jordan 55 
			 14. Mongolia 55 
			 14. Morocco 55 
			 15. Hungary 48 
			 15. Malaysia 48 
			 16. Mozambique 47 
			 17. Georgia 45 
			 18. Russia 44 
			 18. United States of America 44 
			 19. Poland 41 
			 20. Kenya 40 
			 21. Cuba 38 
			 22. Kazakhstan 34 
			 23. Tunisia 33 
			 24. Brunei 32 
			 25. Uganda 29 
			 26. Indonesia 26 
			 26. Zambia 26 
			 26. Zimbabwe 26 
			 27. Romania 25 
			 28. Albania 24 
			 28. Yemen 24 
			 29. Pakistan 23 
			 29. Commonwealth Secretariat 23 
			 30. Bangladesh 22 
			 30. Philippines 22 
			 31. Afghanistan 21 
			 31. Namibia 21 
			 32. Lithuania 18 
			 33. Cote D'Ivoire 16 
			 34. Peru 15 
			 34. Sudan 15 
			 35. Cameroon 14 
			 35. Italy 14 
			 36. Portugal 13 
			 36. Uzbekistan 13 
			 37. Bahrain 12 
			 37. Germany 12 
			  
			  3,678

Libya (Export Licence)

Ronnie Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the issuing of an export licence in September 2000 for a military-listed chemical to Libya.

Ben Bradshaw: In September 2000 the Government inadvertently issued a licence for a small quantity of military listed chemical to Libya. This was technically in breach of the UK interpretation of the EU arms embargo on Libya. The chemical was for use in the laboratory analysis of water and sewage samples. The goods have now been exported and the licence has been returned as exhausted. As a result of the error we have revised assessment procedures of export licence applications to embargoed destinations. The Government continue to support the EU arms embargo on Libya.

Malaysia

Richard Ottaway: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the arrest under the Internal Security Act of the President of the Student Council, University of Malaysia, Mohamad Fuad Mohd Ikhwan.

Ben Bradshaw: Mohamad Fuad Mohd Ikhwan was detained under the Internal Security Act (ISA) on 6 July. We are concerned at the recent use of this Act, which provides for detention without trial. We hope that all those detained under the ISA will be either charged or released. We and our EU partners continue to monitor the developments closely and take up the issue with the Malaysian authorities on suitable occasions.

PRESIDENT OF THE COUNCIL

Members' Salaries

Andrew Turner: To ask the President of the Council which grades of staff receive a salary broadly equivalent to that of an hon. Member in (a) the medical profession in hospitals, (b) general practice, (c) teaching, (d) local government, (e) civil service and (f) the armed forces.

Robin Cook: Details of salary comparisons with other public sector groups are illustrated in Volume 2 of the Senior Salaries Review Body's report on parliamentary pay and allowances (Cm 4997). Copies of the Report are available in both the House of Commons Library and Vote Office.
	The salary recommendation of the review body sought to ensure a broad equivalence to salaries for a major director in a district general hospital, a head of a large secondary school, a director in a district council or assistant director in a large unitary or county council, lower graded members of the Senior Civil Service and battalion commanders.

EDUCATION AND SKILLS

Connexions

Theresa May: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills 
	(1)  if the Connexions Service will offer a personal adviser to young people with learning disabilities, and what arrangements will be in place to ensure that the Connexions Service provides support to young people with mental and physical disabilities;
	(2)  what the upper age limit is at which a young person can be in receipt of the services of a personal adviser under the Connexions Service; and if this limit will also apply to young people with learning disabilities.

Ivan Lewis: holding answer 9 July 2001
	The Connexions Service will provide access to a personal adviser to all young people aged 13–19, including those with learning difficulties and/or disabilities. The personal adviser will provide advice, guidance, support and personal development opportunities based on each individual young person's needs, drawing on specialist services as necessary.
	The Connexions Service will be required to arrange assessments for those with statements of special educational needs in the last year of compulsory schooling who intend to leave school, but continue in learning. The service will also have the power to arrange for assessments in other circumstances where they feel it would be beneficial, eg for young people with SEN, but without statements. These responsibilities are designed to ensure more effective transitions for young people with SEN on leaving school and moving through post-16 learning.
	To build on this, the Connexions Service will, in partnership with local agencies, continue to support young people with learning difficulties and/or disabilities up to their 25th birthday if they are not ready to access the adult services provided locally.

Asset Management Plans

Phil Willis: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills when the results of the asset management plans will be published.

Stephen Timms: The Department has been validating local education authorities' asset management plan information and intends to publish analyses of the data in the autumn. This will include information on authorities' repair and maintenance needs.

Further Education

Tim Boswell: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills when he last met representatives of further education colleges to discuss their funding and staffing situation; and if he will make a statement.

John Healey: holding answer 11 July 2001
	The Secretary of State has not met representatives of further education colleges as yet but my hon. Friend the Minister for Lifelong Learning met with Mr. David Gibson from the Association of Colleges on 25 June, and I met Mr. Gibson on 12 July.

Swimming

John Greenway: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if she will make it her policy to ensure that all school children have access to a swimming pool on a weekly basis.

Stephen Timms: holding answer 12 July 2001
	Swimming is a compulsory part of the National Curriculum for Physical Education at Key Stage 2, unless pupils have met the full Key Stage 2 requirements during Key Stage 1. After Key Stage 2 it remains one of six areas of physical activity. The Ofsted report on swimming at Key Stage 2, published in November 2000, showed that well over four out of five schools inspected provided adequate time for swimming and four out of five children are able to swim 25m at the end of Key Stage 2. We acknowledge, however, that we need to work more with schools to make even more opportunities available for more children to be able to swim 25m by the time they reach secondary school.
	Swimming and water safety are important life skills. We are investing heavily in school sport and swimming will benefit. The Government's commitment includes £581 million in England (out of a total of £750 million in the UK) from the New Opportunities Fund for school sport facilities.
	We have established a Swimming Advisory Group, involving, as well as my Department, representatives of the swimming associations, Ofsted, the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority and the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, to discuss what more can be done to create even more opportunities for children to swim and announce proposals by the end of the year.

ENVIRONMENT FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS

Foot and Mouth

David Maclean: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will publish the foot and mouth contingency plan which was deposited with the EU and OIE.

Elliot Morley: The contingency plan for Great Britain was submitted to the EU for approval in 1991 and approved in 1993. An updated version was sent to the EU in July 2000. This plan is very much an outline strategy which in turn is supported by detailed veterinary instructions and regional contingency plans.
	A copy of the July 2000 version of the GB contingency plan was placed in the Libraries of the House on 14 May 2001 and it will also shortly be available on the DEFRA foot and mouth disease website http://www.defra.gov.uk/, omitting names and personal telephone numbers on the grounds of confidentiality.

Foot and Mouth

David Maclean: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many farms in Cumbria have had sheep slaughtered in the voluntary cull; and how many sheep were slaughtered.

Elliot Morley: Livestock in Cumbria were culled only where, in the opinion of the Chief Veterinary Officer, the animals had been exposed to the foot and mouth virus. Computer records show that in the cull of animals within 3 km of infected premises in Cumbria, 503,545 sheep were slaughtered on 1,732 farms.

Foot and Mouth

Nigel Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many animals on infected and contiguous premises have been culled in the Ribble Valley as a result of the foot and mouth outbreak.

Elliot Morley: The information is not available in the format requested. The Settle associated cluster includes the Ribble Valley and an additional area to the east currently extending as far as Ilkley. To subdivide the area as requested would incur disproportionate cost.
	The table shows the number of animals slaughtered on infected and contiguous premises in the Settle associated cluster.
	
		Numbers of animals slaughtered in the Settle associated cluster (as at 9 July)
		
			  Infected premises Contiguous premises Total 
		
		
			 Cattle 12,664 24,727 37,391 
			 Pigs 56 89 145 
			 Sheep 54,020 154,213 208,233 
			 Goats 8 61 69 
			  
			 Total 66,748 179,090 245,838

Foot and Mouth

Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what criterion she uses to determine the areas of infection covered by the declaratory orders for foot and mouth.

Elliot Morley: holding answer 2 July 2001
	When a case of foot and mouth disease is confirmed, an infected area with boundaries which are at least 10 km from the infected place has to be designated by a declaratory order. The boundaries may extend beyond the statutory minimum for disease control purposes and because, in order to simplify identification, they are determined by clear geographical features, such as roads or railway lines. Declaratory orders for England and Wales are made by my Department and a map depicting the infected area may be inspected in the DEFRA office at 1A Page street, London between 9 am and 5 pm, Monday to Friday. The maps are also reproduced on the DEFRA website.

Foot and Mouth

David Maclean: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much it cost to dispose of slaughtered animals in the eradication of foot and mouth disease, broken down by (a) veterinary bills, (b) transport, (c) accommodation, (d) fuel and materials for pyres, (e) land access for burial, (f) contractors and slaughtermen, (g) machinery hire, (h) wagon transport, (i) consumables and (j) rendering.

Elliot Morley: The information is not available in the form requested. The table shows costs to date and estimated costs (as at 9 July) for the categories that most closely correspond to those about which the right hon. Member has asked.
	
		£ million 
		
			  Cost to date Estimated total cost 
		
		
			 Temporary Veterinary Inspectors and Local Veterinary Inspectors (ie not full time employees of the Department) 4.8 22.0 
			 Disposal/haulage (incl. rendering and pyres) 104.6 172.6 
			 Carcase disposal sites 4.2 8.5 
			 Travel and subsistence (incl. accommodation and mileage) 8.4 9.0 
			 Slaughtermen 9.7 10.7 
			 Reinstatement and cleansing and disinfection (incl. contractors) 57.9 863.0 
			 Protective clothing and other consumables 7.5 8.0 
			  
			  197.1 1,093.8 
		
	
	Note:
	Taken from FMD estimated costs, 9 July 2001

Foot and Mouth

David Maclean: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what biosecurity measures were implemented during farm to farm milk tanker collections affected by foot and mouth restrictions.

Elliot Morley: The Code of Practice for Hauliers and Buyers of Milk (drawn up under the Foot and Mouth Disease Order 1983 and revised in March 2001) lays down the measures that must be followed by milk hauliers and dairy personnel who are involved in the collection and transport of untreated milk originating from dairy farms in a foot and mouth disease infected area or from other farms known to be at risk of foot and mouth disease infection.
	The Code can be found on the DEFRA website at: http://defraweb/footandmouth/disease/restrictions/nonanimal/ milks.asp.

Foot and Mouth

Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what precautions have been in place during the foot and mouth crisis to help prevent the disease being carried across the English channel by ferry and channel tunnel passengers; and if she will make a statement.

Elliot Morley: holding answer 3 July 2001
	Details of precautionary measures are available from the DEFRA website at http://defraweb/footandmouth/about/index.htm. This includes guidance on taking vehicles abroad, imports and exports and trade issues.
	Anyone who intends to import or export products of animal origin should check that they comply fully with the appropriate legal requirements which are in place to prevent the spread of diseases such as foot and mouth.

Foot and Mouth

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement on slurry lagoons on farms affected by the foot and mouth outbreak.

Elliot Morley: holding answer 3 July 2001
	Slurry and liquid manure are normally treated by adding chemicals to raise or lower the pH so as to inactivate any foot and mouth disease virus that may be present. However, on many large farms the volume of slurry involved may make pH adjustment practically difficult and inordinately expensive. Moreover, the ground state may now allow the application of treated slurry. In such circumstances slurry and liquid manure may well be kept in lagoons or holding tanks until it can be applied to the land.
	Environment Agency authorisation is always sought about the construction and location of lagoons. Local animal health offices have cleansing and disinfecting teams who can give advice on handling large amounts of slurry and liquid manure. This advice will include the ease with which particular amounts might be treated and the preferred disposal methods taking into account the local ground conditions and the relevant environmental considerations.

Foot and Mouth

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what her estimate is of the total cost of the recent foot and mouth crisis to date to the Exchequer; and if she will make a statement.

Elliot Morley: holding answer 4 July 2001
	Our current estimate (as at 9 July) of the direct cost of the outbreak to the Exchequer is around £2.2 billion. Among other things, this includes the cost of disinfection and cleansing as well as compensation for compulsory slaughter of affected livestock.

Foot and Mouth

Anthony Steen: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs which of those recommendations contained in the 1969 Committee of Inquiry report into the 1967 foot and mouth outbreak were acted upon during the Government's handling of the 2001 epidemic; and if she will make a statement.

Elliot Morley: holding answer 4 July 2001
	The recommendations in "The Report of the Committee of Inquiry on Foot-and-Mouth Disease", parts 1 and 2, published 7 March 1969 and 3 November 1969 (the Northumberland report), form the basis of the Government's policy for keeping the disease out of the country, and of our contingency plans for fighting an outbreak of foot and mouth. Other reports also contributed to the lessons learned from the 1967–68 epidemic, such as the "Origins of the 1967–68 Foot-and-Mouth Disease Epidemic", by John Reid (Chief Veterinary Officer), 7 February 1968; and the internal Ministry of Defence report on the foot and mouth outbreak 1967–68 in Western Command.

Foot and Mouth

David Maclean: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when she will publish the details of every foot and mouth disease pyre and burial site in Cumbria.

Elliot Morley: Information on pyre and burial sites in Cumbria is being collected as part of a wider exercise relating to the whole of Great Britain. The location of all of these sites will be published once the information has been collated, cross-checked and validated.

Foot and Mouth

David Maclean: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what representations the Government have received regarding the efficacy of vaccination in efforts to eradicate foot and mouth disease.

Elliot Morley: The Government and the Department have received representations from a broad cross-section of interested parties, both for and against vaccination, all of which have been carefully considered. The Government have made clear that they consider vaccination to be an option to keep under review as the outbreak develops.

Foot and Mouth

David Maclean: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many foot and mouth blood samples are awaiting processing at Pirbright; and what is the time from submission from the farm to confirmed result.

Elliot Morley: As of Friday 6 July 2001 there were approximately 30,000 sera awaiting test. The time between the receipt of samples at the Pirbright laboratory and the submission of confirmed results to DEFRA depends upon the initial result and whether secondary testing is required. Over 40 per cent. of samples were being reported within seven days of receipt.
	Testing is also taking place at the Centre for Applied Microbiological Research at Porton Down and the VLA laboratory at Penrith.

Foot and Mouth

David Maclean: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment the Government have made of ring vaccination as an eradication policy for foot and mouth disease.

Elliot Morley: Vaccination against foot and mouth disease remains an option that is kept under continuous review. Ring vaccination is one possible approach, which aims to control the spread of infection within and outside an infected area. It reduces the amount of virus circulating in the area, as the vaccinated animals will be less infectious.
	We did not ring vaccinate at the start of the outbreak because it was apparent that the virus had potentially been spread across a wide area, due to the large number of movements that had taken place before the first case of foot and mouth disease was identified. This made ring vaccination an impractical option.

Foot and Mouth

David Maclean: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many premises that were confirmed as being infected with foot and mouth have subsequently received negative results from blood tests.

Elliot Morley: As at 8 July, 382 infected premises in Great Britain gave a negative result when tested for foot and mouth disease in the laboratory. A negative test result does not necessarily mean that the premises was free from the disease. For instance, if the disease is old the virus may not be present in the sample collected, and blood tests from newly infected animals may not give a positive reaction to the laboratory test as antibodies may not yet be present.

Foot and Mouth

David Maclean: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on how many farms in (a) England and (b) Cumbria livestock have been slaughtered as a result of classification as (i) infected premises (ii) dangerous contacts, (iii) slaughter on suspicion and (iv) contiguous.

Elliot Morley: As at 5 July the numbers of premises where livestock had been slaughtered are detailed in the table.
	
		
			 Premises status England (inc. Cumbria) Cumbria 
		
		
			 Infected Premises 1,527 772 
			 Dangerous Contact—Contiguous Premises 2,209 415 
			 Dangerous Contact—Non Contiguous Premises 1,898 (3)1,005 
			 Slaughter on Suspicion 169 30 
			  
			 Total 5,803 2,222 
		
	
	(3) Includes premises slaughtered out as part of the 3 km cull

Foot and Mouth

David Maclean: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many infected premises in each county of (a) England and (b) Scotland tested negative in the laboratory.

Elliot Morley: The table shows the number of infected premises (IPs) in each county of England and Scotland which gave negative laboratory test results.
	
		
			 County Total 
		
		
			 Avon 4 
			 Cheshire 9 
			 Cleveland 1 
			 Cornwall 1 
			 Cumbria 76 
			 Derbyshire 1 
			 Devonshire 44 
			 Dumfriesshire 39 
			 Durham 20 
			 Essex 1 
			 Gloucestershire 33 
			 Hereford and Worcester 34 
			 Kent 3 
			 Kircudbright 7 
			 Lancashire 7 
			 Leicestershire 2 
			 North Yorkshire 7 
			 Northumberland 14 
			 Roxburgh 2 
			 Shropshire 3 
			 Somerset 2 
			 Staffordshire 19 
			 Tyne and Wear 1 
			 Wigtown 11 
			 Wiltshire 1 
			  
			 Grand Total 342 
		
	
	A negative test result does not necessarily mean that the premises was free from disease. For instance, if the disease is old the virus may not be present in the sample collected, and blood tests from newly infected animals may not give a positive reaction to the laboratory test as antibodies may not yet be present.

Foot and Mouth

Brian Cotter: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make it her policy to allow vaccination, rather than slaughter, where farmers and stockholders request it for those animals suspected of suffering from foot and mouth disease.

Elliot Morley: Our priority is to eradicate the disease and so policy decisions will be based on the expert veterinary and scientific advice on the best way to achieve this. Vaccination protects animals from infection, and so would not be used for animals that are already infected with foot and mouth disease. The policy remains to slaughter animals which are infected, suspected of being infected or which have been exposed to infection.
	Any steps to vaccinate need to be undertaken with full consideration of all the implications for the disease, the handling and control of vaccinated animals and products, and wide implications for the EU's 'foot and mouth disease-free, without vaccination' status. A decision to vaccinate against foot and mouth disease must, therefore, be taken at national level and take into account the views and wishes of all interested parties that would be affected by a vaccination programme.

Foot and Mouth

Brian Cotter: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment she has made of the advantages and disadvantages of the use of ring vaccination for animals suspected of suffering from foot and mouth disease.

Elliot Morley: We would not vaccinate an animal against foot and mouth disease if it were suspected to be already carrying the virus.
	Ring vaccination is best deployed where one is confident that the size of an infected area is relatively small and the virus has not already spread beyond it, since the aim of ring vaccination is to control the spread of infection within and outside the infected area. We did not ring vaccinate at the start of the outbreak because it was apparent that the virus had potentially been spread across a wide area, due to the large number of movements that had taken place before the first case of foot and mouth disease was identified. This made ring vaccination an impractical option.
	Vaccination remains an option, and is being continuously reassessed against changing circumstances and knowledge about the current outbreak.

Throckmorton Airfield

Peter Luff: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will publish the risk assessment made prior to the establishment of a mass burial site at Throckmorton airfield in Worcestershire; and what amendments have since been made to that assessment.

Elliot Morley: holding answer 4 July 2001
	The Environment Agency conducted a preliminary desktop study of Throckmorton airfield in order to assess its suitability as a burial site for animal carcases. The study included a risk assessment of the geological, hydrogeological and hydrological conditions at the airfield. This assessment was followed up by a full quantitative risk assessment by the agency using site-specific data gained from the site construction phase. The site was shown to be acceptable using the approved methodology.
	The contractors, Halcrows, are currently doing additional site investigation and monitoring, and they will further update the risk assessment following this work. Both the qualitative desktop study and quantitative risk assessment are held on the public register at the district Environment Agency office in Riversmeet, Tewkesbury, together with a note referring to the additional work.

Hall Burn

David Maclean: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what is the purpose of the building being erected at the Hall Burn site at Longtown, Cumbria.

Elliot Morley: No permanent buildings are being erected at the Hall Burn site although a number of temporary modular buildings (i.e. portacabins) were erected on the site before May. These are used for office accommodation, crew rooms, toilets, and showers.

Green Ministers

Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what plans she has to monitor (a) the role of Green Ministers and (b) integration of the environment and sustainable development; and if she will make a statement.

Michael Meacher: As chair of the Cabinet Sub-Committee of Green Ministers, I will monitor the role of Green Ministers and integration of the environment and sustainable development. The Committee will report to ENV as necessary. The Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs is a member of ENV.

Green Ministers

Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs where responsibility lies for co-ordination of the role of Green Ministers; and if she will make a statement.

Michael Meacher: As a Cabinet Sub-Committee the terms of reference for ENV(G) are set by the Prime Minister and it is for me to co-ordinate the role including a work programme.

Green Ministers

Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on what date a Green Minister was first appointed in her Department; when subsequent appointments were made; and if she will make a statement.

Michael Meacher: I have been asked to answer this question on behalf of the Government. The Green Ministers Committee has undergone three phases since its inception. A Green Minister in every Government Department was first appointed following the 'This Common Inheritance' White Paper in 1990.
	Following the recent establishment of the Green Ministers Committee as a Cabinet Sub-Committee, ENV(G), its membership is as follows:
	Minister of State (Environment), Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Chair)
	Solicitor-General
	Financial Secretary, Treasury
	Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs
	Minister of State (Rural Affairs), Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
	Minister of State, Scotland Office
	Minister of State, Department of Trade and Industry
	Minister of State, Department for Culture, Media and Sport
	Parliamentary Secretary, Cabinet Office
	Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department
	Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Home Office
	Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for International Development
	Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Work and Pensions
	Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Transport, Local Government and the Regions
	Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Health
	Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Northern Ireland Office
	Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Wales Office
	Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Ministry of Defence
	Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Education and Skills.

Green Ministers

Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will set out the terms of reference for the role of the Green Minister in (a) her own Department and (b) in other Departments; and if she will make a statement.

Michael Meacher: In this Parliament the Green Ministers Committee has been reconstituted as the Cabinet Sub- Committee of Green Ministers, ENV(G). It is for the Prime Minister to set the terms of reference for Cabinet Committees. ENV(G)'s terms of reference are:
	"to consider the impact on sustainable development of government policies; to improve the performance of Departments in contributing to sustainable development; and to report as necessary to ENV Committee".

WORK AND PENSIONS

Invalid Care Allowance

Steve Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will estimate the cost to the Exchequer, net of savings on means-tested benefits, of increasing the rate of Invalid Care Allowance to the level of the basic State Pension.

Maria Eagle: The estimated additional cost of this change would be £650 million in 2001–02 (cost net of savings on Income Support, Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit would be £340 million). However, this change would only benefit carers not in receipt of Income Support (IS) or where the increase is greater than the current value of their IS. 230,000 people would see an increase in their net income.
	In April 2001 the Carer Premium paid through Income Related Benefits was increased by an extra £10 per week and the Invalid Care Allowance (ICA) Earnings Limit was increased by £22 per week. We intend to legislate to extend ICA to people aged 65 or over and to enable ICA to continue for up to eight weeks after the death of the person being cared for. These changes will help an estimated 300,000 carers at a cost of more than £500 million over three years.
	Notes:
	1. Estimate is rounded to the nearest £10 million
	2. The gross ICA cost is based on the forecast ICA caseload for 2001–02.
	3. The income-related benefit offsets have been calculated from data taken from the November 2000 5 per cent. scan of the Income Support computer system, and the May 1999 1 per cent. sample of HB/CTB claims. These offsets have been applied to the 2001–02 ICA forecast to obtain the savings in the income-related benefits.
	4. The estimate assumes that the basic rate of ICA will be increased to the level of the category A Retirement Pension, and that there would be no changes made to the dependency increases in ICA.
	5. The costing allows for the £5 increase in Retirement Pension in 2001–02.

Winter Fuel Payment

David Willetts: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions when the last Winter Fuel Payment for winter 2000 was paid.

Ian McCartney: This is a matter for Alexis Cleveland, the chief executive of the Benefits Agency. She will write to the hon. Member.
	Letter from Alexis Cleveland to Mr. David Willetts, dated 11 July 2001
	The Secretary of State for Work and Pensions has asked me to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question asking when the last winter fuel payment for Winter 2000 was paid.
	Our records show that the vast majority of Winter 2000 payments were paid automatically before Christmas 2000. However, to allow for payments to be made to customers claiming up to 31 March 2001, the last main tranche of payments for Winter 2000 was processed between 15 and 23 June. These customers should have received their payment within two weeks of processing.
	Winter fuel payments for Winter 2000 continue to be processed for late claims, appeals and cases with other outstanding issues. Payments will be ongoing until these claims are cleared.

BASIS

David Willetts: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many staff the Benefits Agency Security Investigations Service has employed in each area for each of the past 12 months; what is the full complement of staff at each BASIS office; how many of these posts are vacant; and how many staff at each area office have been with BASIS for 12 months or more.

Malcolm Wicks: The information is in the tables.
	The Counter Fraud Investigation Branch is committed to bringing staffing up to full strength in the next quarter and is currently recruiting.
	
		BASIS staff employed in each area for the past 12 months
		
			  2000 2001  
			 Teams May June July August September October November December January February March April May 
		
		
			 Hinchley Wood 60 60 58 58 58 55 55 53 52 53 53 53 56 
			 Canons Park 44 45 46 47 47 49 48 48 50 50 50 46 45 
			 Birmingham 19 21 20 19 20 20 19 19 22 19 20 20 20 
			 Nottingham 17 17 17 17 17 17 17 17 18 18 18 18 18 
			 Leeds 19 19 19 18 18 20 20 21 21 21 21 21 22 
			 Manchester 18 18 18 17 21 19 19 20 20 20 20 21 21 
			 Cardiff 15 15 16 15 15 15 16 17 17 18 17 15 15 
			 Liverpool 17 17 18 18 18 18 19 19 20 20 20 20 20 
			 Newcastle 17 17 17 19 19 19 19 19 19 21 21 22 21 
			 Glasgow 21 21 18 18 18 21 19 19 19 19 19 18 18 
			  
			 Total 247 250 247 246 251 253 251 252 258 259 259 254 256 
		
	
	
		Complement of BASIS staff at each office and vacant posts
		
			 BASIS teams Complement of staff Vacancies declared 
		
		
			 Hinchley Wood 69 13 
			 Canons Park 69 24 
			 Birmingham 21 1 
			 Nottingham 21 3 
			 Leeds 21 0 
			 Manchester 21 0 
			 Cardiff 21 6 
			 Liverpool 21 1 
			 Newcastle 21 0 
			 Glasgow 21 3 
		
	
	
		Number of staff employed within BASIS for 12 months or more
		
			 BASIS teams Number of staff 
		
		
			 Hinchley Wood 42 
			 Canons Park 34 
			 Birmingham 14 
			 Nottingham 18 
			 Leeds 18 
			 Manchester 14 
			 Cardiff 12 
			 Liverpool 14 
			 Newcastle 12 
			 Glasgow 14 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. These figures include both administrative and investigative staff employed by BASIS.
	2. Figures above as of May 2001.

New Deal

Ross Cranston: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people in Dudley, North are in the New Deal programme; and how many had been placed in employment under the new deal up to the end of June.

Nick Brown: The information is in the table.
	
		
			  Numbers currently on new deals as at April 2001 Jobs gained to April 2001 
		
		
			 New Deal for Young People 197 547 
			 New Deal for Long Term Unemployed aged 25+ 275 148 
			 New Deal for Lone Parents 119 153 
			 New Deal 50+: Employment Credit 31 85 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. Figures related to Dudley, North parliamentary constituency.
	2. Latest figures relate to the period ending April 2001 which were reported in the June Statistical Release for New Deal for Young People/25+ and July Statistical Release for New Deal for Lone Parents.
	3. New Deal 50+ figures related to clients claiming for employment credit only. Figures relating to the numbers on the New Deal 50+ case load are not available.
	4. Jobs gained includes those who gain a job while accessing new deal or as an immediate destination on leaving the programme.
	5. Detailed constituency figures for the New Deal for Young People are available monthly from the Library.
	Source:
	New Deal Evaluation Database

New Deal

John Randall: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people in the Uxbridge constituency are in the New Deal programme; and how many had been placed in employment by the end of March.

Nick Brown: The information is in the table.
	
		
			  Numbers currently on new deals as at end April 2001 Jobs gained to April 2001 
		
		
			 New Deal for Young People 35 170 
			 New Deal for Long Term Unemployed aged 25+ 36 46 
			 New Deal for Lone Parents 95 104 
			 New Deal 50+: Employment Credit 10 12 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. Figures relate to Uxbridge parliamentary constituency.
	2. Latest figures relate to the period ending April 2001 which were reported in the June Statistical Release for New Deal for Young People/25+ and July Statistical Release for New Deal for Lone Parents.
	3. New Deal 50+ figures relate to clients claiming for employment credit only. Figures relating to the numbers on the New Deal 50+ case load are not available.
	4. Jobs gained includes those who gain a job while accessing new deal or as an immediate destination on leaving the programme.
	5. Detailed constituency figures for the New Deal for Young People are available monthly from the Library.
	Source:
	New Deal Evaluation Database

Pension Credit

Jim Cousins: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 
	(1)  if he will estimate, on the basis of the proposals and assumptions in the pension credit consultation paper, how many claimants of pension credit there will be in each region and nation; what proportion of the total number of pensioners the beneficiaries are likely to be; and how many are likely to be claimants of housing benefit and/or council tax benefit;
	(2)  to which other benefits the proposed pension credit will be a passport.

Ian McCartney: The pension credit forms a key part of the Government's overall strategy for tackling pensioner poverty.
	We are completing the design of the pension credit and will publish details of our proposals when the Bill is introduced.

Household Incomes

Kevin Hughes: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions when he expects the latest figures on Households Below Average Incomes to be published; and if he will make a statement.

Alistair Darling: Today I have published Households Below Average Income for 1994–95 to 1999–2000. Copies have been placed in the Library.
	The report shows the position during the financial year 1999–2000. Consequently, it does not reflect the full impact of all policies or the changes introduced since—for instance the significant increases made to Working Families Tax Credit and Income Support child rates in Budget 2000, the Children's Tax Credit or enhancements to the Minimum Income Guarantee.
	However the report shows encouraging signs that Government anti-poverty measures are beginning to work. There is a real downward trend in child poverty with 300,000 fewer children living in income poverty in 1999–2000 compared with 1996–97 and there are encouraging signs of improvement in pensioner incomes with the figures suggesting 100,000 fewer in poverty.
	It shows that all groups have shared a significant growth in income, there has been a large fall in the numbers below absolute low-income thresholds and the tide has been turned in the long-term trend of rising relative income poverty for children.

CULTURE MEDIA AND SPORT

Tourism (Foot and Mouth)

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what representations she has received and what measures she has taken to ensure that the tourist coach industry is compensated following the effects of foot and mouth disease on the tourist industry; and if she will make a statement.

Kim Howells: My right hon. Friend the Minister for the Environment has received representations from the chairman of the Coach Tourism Council and a managing director of a north-east of England coach company. It is the long-standing policy of successive Governments not to offer compensation for consequential losses associated with animal disease outbreaks. However, my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs is closely monitoring the effectiveness of the financial assistance measures made available by Government to rural businesses, which is worth over £250 million. This package includes £50 million allocated to the Rural Business Recovery Fund, substantial hardship rate relief and £120 million available in loans under the Small Firms Loan Guarantee Scheme. Customs and Excise and the Inland Revenue will also agree to the deferral of tax or national insurance contributions where a business is in serious financial difficulty. The Department for Culture, Media and Sport has provided an additional £3.8 million to the English Tourism Council to get the message across that there is plenty for the public to do in the countryside, and £14.2 million to the British Tourist Authority to rebuild confidence in Britain as a tourism destination in our key overseas markets.

Tourism (Foot and Mouth)

Peter Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what assessment she has made of the economic impact of foot and mouth disease on the tourist industry in each of the Regional Tourist Board areas.

Tessa Jowell: Our best estimate to date is that the loss of revenue in 2001–02 by the English tourist industry is likely to be around £120 million per week averaged over the eight-month tourism season. We are currently updating the assessment on which this is based in the light of the latest available data, including regional estimates made by individual regional tourist boards (these are not prepared on a consistent basis and so cannot simply be aggregated). We have not attempted to apportion the overall estimates to the individual regional tourist board areas, since the available data do not enable this to be done with a sufficient degree of reliability.

The National Lottery

Peter Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will list the administrative costs as a percentage of National Lottery income for each of the National Lottery distributing bodies in the most recent year for which figures are available.

Tessa Jowell: holding answer 25 June 2001
	The following table shows administration costs as a percentage of income for the lottery distributing bodies in 1999–2000, the most recent year for which published accounts are available.
	
		
			  Distributing body Administration costs as a percentage of income 
		
		
			 Arts Council of England 11.43 
			 Scottish Arts Council 8.07 
			 Arts Council of Wales 10.17 
			 Arts Council of Northern Ireland 7.43 
			 Sport England 7.40 
			 Sportscotland 8.09 
			 Sports Council for Wales 5.56 
			 Sports Council for Northern Ireland 8.98 
			 UK Sport 4.39 
			 Heritage Lottery Fund 4.84 
			 Community Fund 9.46 
			 Millennium Commission 3.92 
			 New Opportunities Fund 4.53

British Archaeology

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will make a statement on the implications of article 3 of the Treaty of Valetta for British archaeology, following the UK becoming a signatory to the treaty.

Kim Howells: holding answer 3 July 2001
	It is for each Government to apply the European Convention on the Protection of the Archaeological Heritage (known as the Valetta Convention) in ways that fit in with national practice and legislation. In broad terms, current measures in place in the UK already meet the convention's requirements. The Government do not believe that additional legislation, requiring a licensing system, is necessary to fulfil article 3. Much archaeological work is already controlled through existing mechanisms. There may be scope for developing a voluntary code of conduct for those who wish to undertake archaeological work outside the existing systems of control.

Football World Cup

John Greenway: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what action she is taking to ensure that every match in the football World Cup finals in 2002 is available for live free-to-air transmission.

Kim Howells: holding answer 12 July 2001
	The whole of the World Cup finals tournament is a listed event under part IV of the Broadcasting Act 1996. Under that legislation, the Independent Television Commission will ensure that a non-free-to-air broadcaster—or a free-to-air broadcaster which covers less than 95 per cent. of the population—can show any part of the tournament live only if a free-to-air broadcaster with at least 95 per cent. coverage has either acquired similar rights, or been given the opportunity to do so on fair and reasonable terms.

Football World Cup

John Greenway: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what discussions she plans to hold with her counterparts in the Council of Ministers about the Kirsch 2002 football World Cup contract.

Kim Howells: holding answer 12 July 2001
	My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has no current plans to discuss this matter with her counterparts in the Council of Ministers.

Digital Radio (BBC)

John Whittingdale: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will make it her policy to refuse applications for new BBC digital radio channels unless they are based on formats clearly distinct from existing digital radio channels.

Kim Howells: holding answer 12 July 2001
	My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State will assess all the proposed new BBC digital radio services against the criteria set out in the public service approvals guidelines. These include the distinctiveness (in programming and content) of the proposed BBC service from those provided by other broadcasters.

Digital Radio (BBC)

John Whittingdale: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what assessment she has made of the extent to which the BBC's application for a digital radio channel Network Z is based on a format clearly distinct from the existing channel, Oneword.

Kim Howells: holding answer 12 July 2001
	My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State is currently assessing the BBC's application against the published public service approval guidelines. In reaching a decision she will take into account all the comments she has received during the consultation period, including those from Oneword.

Digital Radio (BBC)

Helen Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what assessment she will make of (a) the intended target audience of and (b) the distinctiveness of programmes proposed by Network Z in reaching a decision on it.

Kim Howells: The criteria against which the Secretary of State will make her decision on the BBC proposals for new digital services, including Network Z, are set out in the published public service approvals guidelines. In reaching a decision, she will consider all the comments made to her during the consultation period.

Indemnities (Art Collections)

Judy Mallaber: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many indemnity undertakings were given under section 16 of the National Heritage Act 1980 for the six-month period ended 31 March; and what the value was of (a) any contingent liabilities in respect of such undertakings given at any time under that section which remain outstanding as at 31 March, (b) non-statutory Government indemnities in respect of loans handled by the Government Art Collection which remain outstanding as at 31 March and (c) non-statutory undertakings to Her Majesty in respect of loans from the Royal Collection which remain outstanding at 31 March.

Tessa Jowell: The provision for the Government Indemnity Scheme is made by the National Heritage Act 1980. The scheme facilitates public access to loans of works of art and other objects for public display made to museums, galleries and other such institutions by private owners and non-national institutions. It does this by indemnifying lenders against loss or damage to their loan. Loans covered by the scheme must be for public benefit. The scheme also covers loans of such objects for study purposes within borrowing institutions where this would contribute materially to the public's understanding or appreciation of the loan. Examples of this are enhancing interpretation or explanation to the public of objects or bringing into the public domain, the conclusions of any study.
	In the six-month period ended 31 March 2001, the following undertakings to indemnify were given under section 16 by the relevant Departments for objects on loan to national and non-national institutions:
	
		
			  Number 
		
		
			 Department for Culture, Media and Sport 647 
			 Scottish Executive Education Department 178 
			 The National Assembly for Wales 72 
		
	
	The value of contingent liabilities in respect of undertakings given at any time under section 16 and which remained outstanding as at 31 March is:
	
		
			  £ 
		
		
			 Department for Culture, Media and Sport 2,041,341,918 
			 Scottish Executive Education Department 444,818,689 
			 The National Assembly for Wales 74,198,187 
		
	
	The value of non-statutory Government indemnities to cover loans handled by the Government Art Collection and which remained outstanding as at 31 March is:
	Value: £6,475,000.
	The value of non-statutory undertakings given to Her Majesty in respect of loans from the Royal Collection and which remained outstanding as at 31 March is:
	Value: £180,225,170.

HOME DEPARTMENT

Police Performance Indicators

George Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what proposals he has for reviewing key performance indicators for policing following Merseyside police's reorganisation of neighbourhood policing; and if he will make a statement.

John Denham: We are currently considering the views of the Association of Chief Police Officers of England, Wales and Northern Ireland and the Association of Police Authorities on possible changes to police best value performance indicators. The Department for Transport, Local Government and the Regions will then publish a consultation document on all best value performance indicators and the performance indicators for 2002–03 will be set on the basis of that exercise. The suite of performance indicators for policing will be kept under review to ensure that it is consistent with the outcome of the police reform programme.

Prison Overcrowding

Ann Widdecombe: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what percentage of prisoners were held in overcrowded accommodation in (a) 1996–97, (b) 1999–2000 and (c) 2000–01; and if he will make a statement.

Beverley Hughes: The number of prisoners held in overcrowded accommodation expressed as a percentage of the average population during 1999–2000 and 2000–01 is given in the table. There is no comparable overcrowding data for 1996–97.
	
		
			 Year Percentage of overcrowding 
		
		
			 1999–2000 20.0 
			 2000–01 17.5

Prison Overcrowding

Simon Hughes: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to reduce overcrowding in prisons; by what date he expects overcrowding to end; and if he will make a statement.

Beverley Hughes: holding answer 9 July 2001
	The prison population on 29 June 2001 was 66,736. This was 4,305 below the total certified operational capacity of 71,041 for the same day. The Government set no target for the prison population as it is for the courts to determine who is sent to prison. The Government will provide the places necessary to accommodate safely and securely those sentenced by the courts. New prison capacity is opening this year. Rye Hill, a 600 place prison near Rugby, opened in January 2001 and Dovegate, an 800 place prison in Staffordshire, will open on 9 July 2001. The 2000 spending review also provides funding to increase capacity by a further 2,660 by 2004.

London Underground

Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he last travelled on the London Underground in the course of his official duties.

David Blunkett: I have not yet travelled on the London Underground for official duties in the five weeks that I have held the post of Home Secretary.

Drug Use

Paul Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what his most recent estimate is of the progress made in achieving the illegal drugs use reduction targets in the Government's 10-year strategy.

John Denham: holding answer 9 July 2001
	The Anti-Drugs Co-ordinator's annual report for 1999–2000 shows that we are making progress towards achieving the challenging targets we have set as part of our 10-year anti-drugs strategy. Most of our annual targets were met in full. We are on track to deliver published targets for 2002. We recognise the particular importance of tackling the problem at the local level and that there is more to do.

Imutran Limited

Jim Dobbin: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what progress has been made with the review by the Chief Inspector of the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Inspectorate of Compliance by Imutran Limited with the authorities granted under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 for its xenotransplantation research; and if he will make a statement.

Angela Eagle: I have today published a report on the routine review of compliance with the authorities issued to Imutran Ltd. prepared by the Chief Inspector of the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Inspectorate and placed copies in the Library.
	The Chief Inspector's findings confirm that the level of compliance was generally good. He has, however, also identified five instances of non-compliance. Three of these were already known to the Home Office and were dealt with in 1997.
	One of the newly identified infringements was essentially technical and no unnecessary animal suffering resulted. In the other case there is evidence that animals experienced unnecessary suffering because of delay in implementing the agreed humane end-point for the procedure applied to them. In mitigation, the clinicians' decisions were based upon clinical judgment rather than undisputed or unambiguous facts and the Chief Inspector's view is that the decisions taken by those concerned do not indicate any fundamental disregard for the welfare of the animals. Both infringements will be dealt by means of letters of admonishment to those responsible, none of whom is currently resident or working in the United Kingdom.
	The Imutran licences were revoked in July 2000 following a decision by its parent company to close Imutran Ltd. and transfer its technology to a new company in North America.